Adjustable reel-type hedge trimmer



y 4, 1953 F. J. JONES 2,645,074

ADJUSTABLE REEL-TYPE HEDGE TRIMMER Filed Feb. 15, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR. fkazwx J Jan 5,

July 14, 1953 JONES 2,645,074

ADJUSTABLE REEL-TYPE HEDGE TRIMMER Filed Feb. 15 1951 zsheets-sheet 2 INV EN TOR. F7744)! J. Jowza,

Patented July 14, 1953 ADJUSTABLE REEL-TYPE HEDGE TRIMMER Frank'J.Jones, West Terre Hau teQInd assignor of one-sixth to Luther Selvia andone-sixth to George W; Nisbet,

both of West Terre'Haute,

' Application February 15, 1951, Serial No. 211,113

The present invention relatesto a hedge trimmer, and the primary objectof the invention is to provide a novel device, adapted to be carriedupon a wheeled frame which may preferably be the frame of a power-drivenlawn mower of more or less conventional design. An object of theinvention is to provide novel means for mounting a hedge trimmer unitupon such a frame in such a fashion as to permit, a wide range ofpositional adjustment of the cutter unit, in order that any one of manydesired shapes may be imparted to the hedge to be trimmed. A furtherobject of the invention is to provide novel means for transmitting powerto a cutter unit thus mounted for widely flexible adjustment.

A still furtherobject of the invention is to provide an improved meansfor adjustably mounting such a cutter unit' insuch a fashion that theelevation of the. unit; relative to the surface upon which the mainframe travels, and the angular relation of such aunit with respect tosuch a frame, may be adjusted through a wide range, all withoutaffecting themeans provided for transmitting power to such unit from aprime mover fixedly mounted on the frame.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means which, onceset,' will require 'no further attention, for'guarding the moving partsof the power transmitting train against cuttings thrown from the cutterunit. f j m A still further object ofthe invention is to provide, inconnection with the. objects above stated, means whereby areversiblereel-type cutter may be used to do the trimming.

Further objects of. the inventionwill as the description proceeds. V Tothe accomplishment of the above and .related objectsymy invention may beembodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attentionbeing called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrativeonly, and that change may be made' in the specific constructionillustrated and described, solpng as the scope of the appended claims isnot violated.

Fig.1 is a. front elevation of a hedge trimmer constructed in accordancewith the present invention, shown in one position of' use relative to ahedge to be trimmed;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the machine illustrated inFig.1; g V

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section,*- drawn to a slightly enlarged scale andt aken substantially on the line 3, -3 of Fig. 2 with the cutter unitfragmentarily shown and moved through an angle of 90 from the'positionof Fig. 1;

' appear V Claims.

(ores-26) 2 Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective of a control detail; i I

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view with parts broken away showingthe adjustable mounting of the shear blades forming a part of the cutterunit; and

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are reduced, diagrammatic front elevations of themachine, showing the flexibility of the cutter unit and the manner inwhich it maybe used to trim various sizes and shapes of hedges, or thelike.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a conventional wheeledpower lawn mower frame is indicated generally by the reference numeral[0, said frame being mounted upon wheels i, l l and fixedly supportingagasoline engine or other prime mover 12 having a power delivery shaftit. A pulley l4 mounted on the shaft 13 drives a pulley I5 looselymounted on a shaft it, through a belt IT. The shaft'l6 is journalledinbearings 18, I8 spaced laterally of the frame, and said shaftextendstransversely of the frame, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1.

A clutch element l9, splined to the shaft l6, includes-an annularlygrooved collar 28 against which bears a spring 2| urging said clutchelement [9 into clutching engagement with the pulley l5 for driving theshaft IS. A yoke 22 cooperates with the collar 20, and a rod 23 isoperatively connected to the yoke 22 to control the'position of the,clutch element l9 relative to the pulley I5 in response to movement ofan operating handle 24 pivoted at 25 on'the conventional frame handle26. The details of the means for operating the clutch element 49 form nopart of the present invention and therefore are not specificallydisclosed. Suffice it to say that, in one position of the handle 24, theelement l9 will be held in clutching engagement with the pulleyl5 by thespring 2!; while, in another position of said handle, the yoke 22 willhold the member l9, against the tendency of the sprin 2 1, out ofclutching engagement with the pulleyiE.

As shown, a conventional grass cuttin reel 21 is mounted upon the framefor cooperation with a shear blade 28 extending transversely of theframe; and a sprocket 29 fixed to the axle 3B of the reel 21, is adaptedto be driven, by a chain 3|, from a sprocket 32 carried on ashaft 33journalled in a'bearing 34, said shaft 33 being coaxially arrangedadjacent one end of the shaft [6. A clutch 35 comprises an elementcarried upon the shaft 33 and a cooperative element mounted for axialadjustment upon the shaft It, the latter element being shiftable fromits illustrated position into driving engagement with the clutch elementon the shaft 33, and being adapted to be secured in either of itspositions of adjustment, relative to the shaft l6, by a set screw 36 orthe like. Obviously, when the clutch is engaged, rotation of the shaftl6 will drive the reel 21 ina manner well understood inthe art.

Adjacent .the opposite. end of the frame:| 0 there is fixedly secured tosaid frame, by any desired means, a block 3'! elongated in the directionof.

travel 0f the machine; and said block 31 is formed with twoupwardly-opening sockets in which-are received the lower ends of .apair. of members38 Said.

38 providing an upstanding trackway. trackway elements may be securediinthe sockets of the block 31 by set screws or other desired means. As ismost clearly shown in Fig. 2, the .trackway elements 38, 38are"substantiallyyertb cal and parallel with each other; and theirupperends are joined by a block 39 suitably secured to the elements 38,38.. A block 40 spans the elements 38, 38 adjacent theirlower ends andis suitably secured thereto to provide ajournal mounting for a stubshaft 4| upon. which. is mounted a sprocket 42. The block 39 mounts asimilar stub shaft 43 upon which is, carrieda sprocket 44 coplanar withthe sprocket 42; and a chain 45 is trained over the sprockets 42' and44.

A clutch 46, similar to the clutch 35, comprises means fixed to rotatewith the sprocket 42 and an element axially adjustably mounted on thead'- jacent end of theshaft l6and movableinto and out of drivingengagement with the sprocket 42, said shiftable element being adapted tobe. secured in either of its positions of adjustment, relative. to theshaft I6, by a set screw 4'! or equivalent means.

Itmay be mentioned here that, in some installations, belt and pulleydrive means and chain and sprocket drive means may be considered to beequivalent. I

An auxiliary frame, indicated generally. by the reference numeral 48, ismounted for adjustable movement along the trackway elements. 38, 38.

As shown, said auxiliary frame comprises tubular elements 49, 49respectively slidably mounted up.- on the elements 38, 38 and fixedly,secured to a platform 50 projecting horizontally from thevertical planeof the trackway. In bearings 5|, 5|, a

shaft 52 is journalled for rotationuponan. axis substantiallyperpendicular to the trackway plane; and said shaft 52 carries asprocket 53' in the plane of the sprockets 42' and 44. As is mostclearly shown in Fig. 2, one reach of the chain 45 is trained aroundthat portion ofthe periphery of the sprocket 53 nearer the lineof't'ravel'of the other reach of the chain; and the,first-mentionedchain reach is supp0rted,.above and below the sprocket 53, upon idlersprockets and55 journalled in suitable bearingscarriedon theauxiliaryframe 48.

In a further bearing 56 carried upon the plat.- form 50 there isjournalled a shaft 51 (Fig. 1). upon an axis perpendicular to. theaxisof. the shaft 52; and at its end adjacentthe shaft52, the shaft 51carries. a bevelled gear 58'.

Splined to the shaft 52 for axial adjustment relative, thereto is anelement. 59 carrying two axially-spaced, mutually-facing bevelled. gears68 and 6|. Said gears 60 and 61' are located on opposite sides of theaxisof the shaft 51, and'are so spaced that, in an intermediate positionof the element 59, neither 0f said gears 60 and- 6| has meshingengagement with the gear 58.. Grooves. 62, 62 in the-element 59. areenteredbyj spaced 7.5. element 96, fixedwith-respecttothe associated.

arms 63, 93 of a shifter element 64, the extremities of said arms beingconcavely radiused as indicated at 65 in Fig. 4 for optimum cooperativeengagement with the element 53. The shifter element 64 is carried upon apin 66 penetrating an elongated slot 61 in a lever 68 pivoted at 68 upona. bracket 10 upstanding from. the platform 50, so. that. said: elementBlwill be rectilinearly shifted, in the direction of the axis of theshaft 52, by swinging movement of the lever 68. The bracket I0 is formedwith three spaced perforations; "and 13, and a thumb piece 14, pivotedatI5 onthelever 68, is urged by a spring 16ltofproject..a-.pin 11 (Figs. 2and 3) through any one" ofisaidperforations with which said pin isbrought into registry, to retain the lever 68 in a selected position ofadjustment.

Thepartsareso' proportioned and designed that, when the pin 11 islocated in the perforation 13, the element 59 will be held in itsneutral position in .which neither gear. 68. and .61. meshes .with the.gear. 58. when the. pin, Tl. isin the-perfora tionTl ,thegear. 6lwillbemeshedwith the. gear 58;, and when. the pin. 1] is, engaged.in.the.p.er.- foration, 12,.the. gear. Gil-will. be,.meshed with thegear 58..

At.its.opp.0site..end, and overhanging the platform 58-; theshaft5l'carries a.bevelle.d. ear. 18 meshing. with. a .bevelledgear T9.fixed, to the axle 8U ofa. reel. 8 l' forming. an element. of; a cutterunit indicated. generally by the reference numeral. 82. Said. cutter.unit comprises. end plates 83' and'.8'.4 in whichthe axle,.80. is,journalled, said axle. being suitably, held against, axial. movementrelative to. said. plates. A bracket 85' supports the. end. plate 83.from, a. swinging. yoke 86 journalled upon the shaft .511 As..shown,,theyoke.86 includes parallel. arms snugly. engaging. opposite ends, of thebearing, 56.. to holdsaid. yoke against axial. movement. relative. tothe; shaft. 51. upon which. its swingsfreely. The, platform 50.. issuit.- ably slotted. to accommodate movement of. the yoke86;

The cutter unit. further comprises shear. blades 81 and 88supportediupon andispanningsaid'end plates 83-and 84', and.,beingadaptedjfor cooperation with the'blades of, the. reel. 8|. The reasonfor the provision of t'wo shear bladeswill appear hereinafter.

The blades 81' and. 88.' are identical; but allochirally. arranged} andeach. comprises a sharpened; edge 89, said blades being peripherallyspacedfrom ea'chothenrelative to the reel 8|", by less than180},andtheir shapenedledges being directed away. from eachothenasis.most. clearly to be seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 5s. Eachsuch-blade isprovided witha. pair of. pintlesfilli projecting. oppositely.longitudinally therefromsubstantially in alignment with. its, edge;remote. from. the. sharpened edge. 88; and. said. pintles areoscillablymounted in aligned perforations intheend plates. 83 and 8.4,,being. secured in. place. by means. of. nuts. 9|, or. other equivalent.fastening, means, mounted upontheprojecting, ends of. the, pintles andbearing. against. the outer, surfaces of. the plates, 83 and. 84..Adjacent. one. or, both. pintles, each shear. blade .is providedlwith a.radially-pro.- jecting arm 92 from whichfextends a. trunnion. 93.substantially, parallel. with the. pintle. 98; and. an eye bolt 94 isprovidedifor. each such arm, the. eye. 95 of. sucheya bolt. receivingthe trunnion 93. to. provide a. pivotal. connectionbetween. theeyeboltand the arm92. The-shank of, eachbolt. projected; through aperforation in: a bracket.

since the cutter unit02 is carried fromthe yoke 86 which is journalledfor-movement about the axis of the shaft 51, the entire unit will swingupon that axis, the block I following the curvature of the guide 99which is concentric with the shaft 51. The block I00 carries aset screwI0 I, or other equivalent means, engageable withthe guide 90, at anyposition of adjustment of the cutter unit 82, to retain the said unit inany such position. A pair of studs I02 (Figs. 1' and 2) depend from theplatform to support a ro'd I03 upon which is rotatably journalled aroller I04. A flexible shield I05 isrolledupon the roller E04, one endof said shield being anchored to the roller and the other end I06 beingfree. The block 40, or some other element on the frame, carries a hookI01 or equivalent means to which the free end I06 of the shield I05 maybe anchored. Spring means (not shown) similar to that embodied in theWell known window shade roller, but without the centrifugal latch meansusuallyfound in a window shade assembly, is associated with the shaftI03 and roller I04 and tends to drive the roller in a direction to reelin the shield or apron 35. Thus, if the auxiliary frame 48 is moveddownwardly from its position illustrated in Fig. l, the roller I04 willreel in the shield I05 to keep that shield'in taut condition between thecutter unit 82 and the chain, clutches and associated elements of'thedrive mechanism.

Preferably, but not necessarily, a brace'rod I08 will have one endanchored at I09 upon the upper end of the trackway 38, 38 and will haveits opposite end anchored, at a transversely-spaced point I I0, to themain frame I0.

Whenever the clutch element I9 is engaged with the pulley i5, the shaftI6 will be driven by operation of the engine I2.--Clutches 35 and 46 maybe concurrently engagedor disengaged, or one may be engaged while theother is disengaged; and whenever the clutch (l5 is engaged, the reel 27will be driven by rotation of shaft I6, while the reel 0i will be drivenfrom shaft I6 whenever the clutch 46 is engaged.

With the parts in the positions of Fig. 1, the reel 84, when driven,will-cooperate with the shear blade 38 to trim a hedge or the like IIIupon a vertical plane, the reel blades striking twigs of the hedge anddrawing them against the shear blade 88 to cut them.

If it is desired to trim the top of such a hedge in a horizontal plane,as suggested diagrammatically in Fig. 6, the set screw IOI will beloosened, and the cutter unit 82 will be swung about the axis or" theshaft 5? with which the yoke 86 is engaged, until the axle 00 is broughtinto a horizontal plane. Since the entire unit moves about the axis ofthe shaft 57, of course the relation between the gears 18 and I9 willnot be disturbed, the gear I9 travelling about the axis of the gear it.With the axle B0 in its new position, the set screw Ilii is againtightened to hold the cutter unit in that position. Now, set screw II2associated with one or both of the sleeves 49 will be loosened, and theentire auxiliary frame will be adjusted vertically upon the trackway 38,38 to bring the shear blade 8Iinto the horizontal plane to. whichthe'top of the hedge I'II is to: be trimmed. As the auxiliary frame 48moves downwardly, if we assume that the. chain 45 is held againsttravel, the sprocket -53 willbe'rotated by the movement of its axis pastthe stationary chain; but if the lever 60, is in the position" of Fig.4, the shaft 52 will rotate without affecting the shaft 51.:,Alternatively, the clutch Mimay .be disengagedduring such movement ofthe auxil iary frame, in which-case the chainwill be bodily. carriedalong with the sprocket 53. e ,1

.If, alternatively, .it is desired-to trim the upper portionof the hedgein an inclined'plana as indicated in Fig. 7, the cutter unit 8| maybeswung still farther in a counter-clockwise direction about the axis of,theshaft 51 and'locked in a position such as that illustrated in Fig:7. The vertical position of theplane to which the hedge is to be trimmedwill, of course, be determined by the setting of the auxiliary framerelative to the trackway 38. v I r When a vertical plane is to beproduced on a hedge which is higher than the position of the plate 83when the parts are arranged'in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1, thecutter unit 82' may be swung to a position in which the axle 80 isvertically arranged above the axis of the shaft 51, as indicated'in Fig.8. 'The extent of the trackway 38 is such that, by adjustment of theauxiliary frame 48, the end plate 83- of the cutter unit may be disposedwith said unit in the relation of Fig.8, in a plane lower than thatoccupied by said plate when the parts are arranged as illustrated inFig. 1, so that the Whole vertical surface of a hedge may be trimmed byproper adjustments of the disclosed apparatus. 1

Obviously, one pass of the machine will ordin arily be sufiicient tocomplete the trimming'of one surface of a hedge; and, in the embodimentof the invention illustrated, the grass alongside the hedge may besimultaneously mowed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A hedge trimmer or the like, comprising a wheeled frame, anupstanding trackway carried on said frame, an auxiliary framereciprocably guided on said trackway, a U-shaped guide bar carried bysaid auxiliary framean'd projecting laterally therefrom and lying ina-substantially vertical plane, a shaft journalled on said auxiliaryframe upon an axis substantially perpendicular to said plane, a cutterunit mounted on said auxiliary frame for adjustment about the axis ofsaid shaft and including a rotatable'bladed reel, a guide block carriedby said cutter unit and slidably sleeved on said guide for guiding saidunit in such adjustment, means carried by said block and engaging saidguide to retain said cutter unit in a selected position of adjustment,means for driving said shaft, and means providing an operative drivingconnection between said shaft and said reel.

'2. A hedge trimmer or the like, comprising a wheeled frame, a primemover supported on said frame, an upstanding trackway carried on saidframe, an auxiliary frame reciprocably guided on said trackway, aU-shaped guide bar carried amen sleeved onsaid. guide for: guiding; saidunit. in such adjustment; meanszcarriedby said blockiand engaging: said.guide" tox-retain. said cutter; unitin arselectedpositioniof adjustment;means,opera-. ti-vely connecting: said prime mover; to drive 1 saidshaft; and meansproviding; an operative. connec: tion:.betweerrsaid;shaft .andusaid .reel;

3. Ahedge'. trimmer; r.:the1ike,=. comprising. a wheeled-frame, .a.prime moveit supportedon .said frame, an upstanding trackway; carried.by: said frame, .amauxiliaryframereciprocablyrguided on said trackway,a. cutter: unit; carried;.by:.said auxiliary frame; and 1 including.arotary element, bearingmeansfixemwith respecttosaidframe, a firstshaft: journalled' in; saidbearing means; a sprocketfixedto said shaft;bearing mean-s fixed with respect. to: said, auxiliary frame, a, secondshaft journalled in. said last-named; bearing means. and;operativelyconnected: to drive. said rotary; element: of: said cutterunit, a: second sprocket;drivinglyv connectedto saidsecond shaft; athird sprocket carried adjacent theuppermost endof. said: trackway,g an,endless; chain trained about said first and third sprocketsandidrivinglyv engaging. said-v second sprocket, andmeans con.- nectingsaidprime-moverto drive. said'first shaft.

4. The. machinezofclaim-ain which the axes of'saidsprocketsare parallel,the operative connectionbetween said secondshaft and the rotary element.of I said; cutter; unit including a; furthershaft perpendicular to saidsecond shaft, and means. supporting; said,- cutter. unit from saidauxiliarydrame: for bodily; oscillation about the axis. of saidiurther;shaft.

5.. The. machine. of-. claim 4, including a drive train. between.said.-.secondshaft'and said further shaft, said drive train including abevelled gear onone: of said' shafts, two bevelled, gears; axiallyslidably. keyed. to. the other of said shafts and locatedrespectively,on opposite sides of the axis. of said first-namedrbevelledgear, and means for shifting said two. gears-simultaneously relative tosaid axis to engage the-same. alternatively-with said. first-named gear;I

6. The machine-oiclaim.5 in, which theaxial spacing between .saidtwoshiftable. gears exceeds th diametrical. dimension: betweenthe-points;of engagementthereofwith said one gear, saidshift ing. means. comprisinga; lever operatively connected tosaid two; gears. and. swingable aboutanaXisto-shiftsaid, gears, and means-cooperative withsaidlever. to holdthe same. selectively in eitherof. twoopposite positions, ineither of.which oneonly of. said two. gears is engaged. with. said one gear, orin .an. intermediate. positionin which 8?; neither of said two: gearsis; engaged; with said onc gear;

7. The machine of: claim,3;;including a flexible shield; a. roller: on.which. said: shield. may be wound, means resiliently. tending to rotatesaid roller to reel in said shield and wind the same on o aidroller,.said'shield beingadaptedto extend between. a: point fixed withrespect'to said frame andsapointa fiXedrWith respect to said auxiliaryframe,.. means providing atjournal mounting for said rolleronzone-ofzsaid frames, andmeans providing ananchorage forthefreeend-of-said shield on; the other; of said i frames.

8.,In: a. machine; of the class. described, a wheeledfraine, a cutterunit-supported from said frame forbodily;movementrelative thereto, saidunit comprising relativelygflxed: end. elements, a reel bridgingjthespace; between. said. end elements ancLmountedjor'rotation, relativegtosaid end elements-about: its; own aXis and twoshear blades spanningsaidi end: elements; each of, said shear: blades; having a sharpened;edge disposed for: cooperation withsaid. reel and'said blades being;spaced; from; each other, peripherally of said reel; by less than withtheir edges directedawayfrom each other.

9..T:he machine Off claim 8; in which each of said, shear-bladesis.;mounted to rock about an independent ax-is. parallel-'withthe axisof said reel to adjust v its sharpened. edge toward and away from-saidreel axis,.andmeans for rocking eaohof said; shear blades-andfor holdingthe samedn a-seleotedpositionof adjustment.

1.0; The machine of claim-9 in which each such shear blade adjustingmeans comprises an. arm fixed; totsaid blade: adjacenteach end of saidblade,, an eyej-bolttpivotally;connected to each armbracketmeansadjacent each end of said blade and fixed withzrespect tosaid end elements, each. ey bolt penetrating; its. associated bracketmeansandtwo nutsthreadedly mounted on each eye bolt: and engageable;respectively, with opposed surfaces. of the associated bracket means.

FRANKJ. JONES.

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